Seattle's annual amateur porn festival, HUMP!, has grown in reputation since its inception in 2005. This year, host and curator Dan Savage is taking the show on the road. Friday and Saturday, you can catch the festival at St. Anthony Main, and it will be hosted by Savage himself. The program consists of homemade short erotic films, handpicked by Savage and associates, representing a wide range of human sexuality in ways both arousing and amusing.

We caught up with Dan Savage to talk about HUMP!, the process of deciding the festival's winners, and how watching porn in public can change people's perceptions of sex:

(Editor's note: This event will not be taking place at Bedlam Community Center as previously reported. It is now set to happen at Ground Zero.)

This Friday, Bike Smut returns to
Minneapolis with its seventh selection of erotic short films
created by cyclists from around the world. This chapter, called the
Porny Express, continues to connect the freeing nature of
human-powered transportation with DIY pornography.

To
protect the privacy of the filmmakers, Bike Smut is not available for
download or DVD purchase. The only way to see it is at Bedlam Community Design
Center as part of a live audience. The 13 selected films hail
from across the globe, featuring works by filmmakers from Oakland, Vancouver,
Chicago, Gainesville, Montreal, Berlin, Milan, and Geneva.

Well shit. Valentine's Day is just around the corner and you're single. What are you going to do? You certainly shouldn't wallow in self pity. Although many bars, restaurants, and other business will be love-themed tomorrow, there are still places and happenings that won't make you feel like and loser. In fact, you might just have a good time. For your consideration, we have the following suggestions:

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Public displays of affection can be a rush. And with this Thursday being Valentine's Day, it's in season. Although just about any location in the Twin Cities is a game spot for making out, some places are ideal because they offer better privacy or a more romantic setting. Here's our top picks for those who want to lock lips in public.

E.L. James is coming to town on Thursday. Don't know who she is? Well, 1,343 people are currently requesting her first book, 50 Shades of Grey, in the Hennepin County Public Library system (and that's not including 393 requests for the audiobook). Back in May, the Times gave us national attention when it reported 2,121 requests in the system, a number the paper called "more holds than anyone can remember on a single title."

So, Hennepin County readers like their BDSM literotica. Which could be why James, the breakout British author behind Grey and the other two books that round out its trilogy, included the Edina Barnes & Noble on a mini-tour of six U.S. cities this month. (Her other stops: Houston, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles).

Feverish fans can start lining up at 9 a.m. on Thursday in order to ensure a wristband to James's 7 p.m. signing, and stay tuned to see how many desperate housewives of Edina storm the bookstore (the trilogy's main readership is married women over 30). But while we wait for the queen of "Mommy Porn," there are plenty of places in our state that would put Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, the star couple in the 50 Shades series, to... if not shame, than at least to greater pleasure.

​This weekend, the place to be is Bryant-Lake Bowl, where Wheel Sexy Cabaretwill be celebrating the bicycling body -- which comes in all shapes and sizes -- in an evening of arty, alternative, bike-themed entertainment. Bikes, burlesque, comedy, and live music -- what's not to like?More »

​It was an usually provocative Friday evening for the Varsity Theater for the 2011 Fetish Ball as scents of rubber, lube, and incense filled the air. Any unsuspecting, typical Varsity concert-goers and stragglers from the Twins stadium were in for a real kink in their plans.
Producer Sybil Minnelli (in the tight purple corset), and Mistress of Ceremonies Jean Bardot (who donned the huge rubber breast suit), crafted a supreme freak show for the record books. More »

​It's difficult to resist the urge to cuddle with someone during these frigid winter nights--and who says you should? Melt the frost on your windows by steaming them up. Or better yet, ditch your make-out mobile until summertime and try out these cozy indoor necking nooks.

​This weekend, Lili's Burlesque Revue is bringing back their popular Best of Midwest Burlesk (BOMB) Festival, now in its fourth year, to the Ritz Theater for a three titillating days of live music, aerial artists, drag performers, and burlesque acts from around the country.

​Smitten Kitten Sex Toys and Supplies, the erotic boutique located on Lyndale Avenue South, is getting crafty for the holidays. This Thursday, December 2 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. the store will celebrate the start of this year's Annual Sexy Art and Craft Show, which runs through December. The opening night celebration will feature treats and an opportunity to speak with some of the artists. More »